Empty articles, such as bottles or other types of containers, are arranged into a pattern of rows and columns on a conveyor belt to form an article layer on the belt that will be moved onto a pallet or is otherwise processed. The article layer consists of the desired number of rows and columns of containers arranged in the desired pattern.
The article layer is formed by moving one or more rows of articles downstream on the conveyor belt from a feeder towards a stationary fence or stop placed in an operating position over the conveyor belt. When in the operating position the fence obstructs and prevents downstream movement of articles past the fence, thereby defining an accumulation area on the conveyor belt extending upstream from the fence where the accumulation layer is formed.
The one or more rows of articles supplied by the feeder are usually provided in sets of rows that spaced apart from one another. A leading row of articles coming into the accumulation area impacts against the fence or against the most upstream stationary row of articles already in the accumulation area. The impacts cause the leading row to come to a stop while the article layer is being formed.
The impact forces applied to the surfaces of the impacting articles may cause an article to fall or displace, destroying the desired pattern. The inventors' U.S. Pat. No. 8,875,869 (owned by the applicant of this application and incorporated by reference herein) discloses a method and device for forming an article layer from articles in which impact forces cause unwanted article rotation.